neighborhood

This morning the UncommonGoods staff reunited after a long weekend battling Hurricane Sandy in New York City. We shared our stories of terror, adventure and community. Here are some of our stories.

Our CEO, Dave, spent the night at UncommonGoods headquarters in the Brooklyn Army Terminal, right on New York harbor, and saw the tides rise over the nearby fishing pier.

inside the Brooklyn Army Terminal

In the Ditmas Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, known for its streets lined with century-old trees, a tree fell near the apartment of Heather on our merchant team. Her roommate, Peter, helped with the cleanup.

Norma, from our Customer Service team, lives in the West Village where there is still no power. When she and her roommate, JR, found out that there was power uptown, they walked more than 30 blocks to a KFC to charge their phones. At an electronics store on the same block, they bought the last power strip and offered the other plugs to passersby, allowing for trapped tourists and frightened coeds to speak with their families. “Chatting with them and making them laugh was a needed relief for all of us”, Norma says. “It ended up being a good time at the KFC yesterday.”

Senior Graphic Designer Jessica and her fiance, Conor, took a walk on Monday through their Brooklyn neighborhood of Gowanus, named for the local canal. Conor had his camera in hand and took some stunning photos of the damage and the calm after the storm.

Inbound team member, Quincy, spent all day Monday helping neighbors leave their flooded houses in his Brooklyn neighborhood of Canarsie, offering his home as a comfortable, dry space for them to wait until the tides receded.

Children’s & Leisure Buyer, Melissa, didn’t make it into work today. She has been stuck in Lower Manhattan without power but was able to share some photos of her neighborhood and the meals she and her friends have been making for each other.

The Goods is more than a place to see our products. We’re here to tell the stories behind and beyond what we sell. When you visit our blog, you’ll meet artists, discover uncommon knowledge, immerse yourself in creative design, and get to know the people who keep UncommonGoods going strong.